Hon. Brian Francis: My question is for Senator Gold. Senator Gold, I read a troubling article in this morning’s The Globe and Mail written by Tanya Talaga. She explained that in September an Ontario regional pharmacist from the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, which is part of Indigenous Services Canada, sent a memo warning staff of the coming shortage of children’s pain medication and asking them to keep the expired product. The Globe and Mail health reporters could not find this type of directive anywhere else in Canada. In addition, another federal department, Health Canada, has advised against administering expired medication to children because it may not be safe or effective.

Senator Gold, could you please explain why there seems to be a different standard of care for First Nations children in Ontario? Could you also tell us whether this advice to stockpile expired children’s medicine has been provided to any other group in Canada?

Hon. Brian Francis: Honourable senators, I would like to begin by acknowledging that we are gathered on the traditional unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe people.

I rise today on behalf of our colleague Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard, who could not be with us today. Her words are as follows:

I wish to pay tribute to an incredible person, Mi’kmaw Elder Dr. Daniel Paul. I have known Dan Paul for many years and have always admired his drive for social change and his fierce dedication to bringing justice to the Mi’kmaq.

Daniel Paul has been instrumental in expanding our collective understanding of Mi’kmaq history and helping to dismantle colonialism in Nova Scotia. His book We Were Not the Savages is essential reading for all Nova Scotians. In his own words, “it’s our history.” His attempts to achieve a more just society have benefited all Nova Scotians, including African Nova Scotians.

Dan Paul advocated for the critical re-evaluation of Halifax’s founder, Edward Cornwallis, as a celebrated figure in Nova Scotia. Dr. Paul has been a long-time advocate, informing the public about Cornwallis’s violent history of scalping proclamations and cultural genocide.

The Cornwallis statue in downtown Halifax was finally removed in 2018, and I will always attribute that triumph largely to his 30 plus years of public education.

During my time teaching social work at Dalhousie University, Dr. Paul regularly appeared as a guest speaker in my classes. Dan Paul has advocated for contributions of Indigenous people to be recognized in Nova Scotia. Today, I invite Canadians to learn more about his contributions to social change.

His impact is significant, and he continues to inspire many social work students who have had the privilege of learning through reading the fourth edition of his book.

Elder Daniel Paul, thank you for all you have done for Nova Scotia. Your commitment to social change is admirable and will continue to inspire me for years to come.

Asante, wela’lin, thank you.

Senator Francis: Senator Gold, your government announced on Monday that a foreign supply of children’s acetaminophen had been secured and would be “. . . available for sale at retail and community pharmacies in the coming weeks.” Parents in more urban or suburban settings have been scouring pharmacies to find these needed pain relievers for their children as we’re facing a pediatric care crisis. However, families in northern and remote communities where supply is low or non-existing cannot simply search dozens of stores. In order to ensure that First Nations children have an equal chance to thrive as other children, Canada has a moral and legal obligation to ensure sustainable quality in the provision of services.

Senator Gold, can you please let us know how much of the foreign supply of children’s medication will be provided to First Nations people and communities? I’d like to see a detailed breakdown of the distribution.